Bosworth Toller's

Anglo-Saxon

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healdan

  • verb [ strong ]
Dictionary links
Grammar
healdan, haldan; p. heóld; pp. healden.
Wright's OE grammar
§5; §7; §49; §176; §299; §516;
to
HOLD, keep, grasp, retain, restrain, confine, contain
Show examples

  • Héht Petrus and Paulus on bendum healdon

    ordered Peter and Paul to be kept in bonds,

      Blickl. Homl. 189 17: Bt. Met. Fox 1, 141; Met. 1, 71.

  • Gif se hláford wiste ðæt se oxa hnitol wǽre and hine healdan nolde

    if the lord knew that the ox were wont to push with its horn, and would not keep it in,

      L. Alf. 23; Th. i. 52, 12.

  • Se wísa hilt his sprǽce and bítt tíman

    the wise man restrains his speech and bides his time,

      Past. 33, 4; Swt. 220, 14.

  • Afene streám healt ðone norþende

    the river Avon bounds the north side,

      Cod. Dipl. Kmbl. iii. 466, 21.

  • Jacob heóld ðone yldran bróðer Esau be ðam fét

    Jacob held the elder brother Esau by the foot,

      Homl. Th. i. 110, 22: Beo. Th. 1581; B. 788.

  • Hé heóld his ǽhta him tó wlencum

    he kept his possessions for his own glory,

      Blickl. Homl. 53, 8.

  • Judéi heóldon heora eáran

    the Jews stopped their ears,

      Homl. Th. i. 46, 33.

  • Genim ðás ylcan wyrte and heald hý mid ðé

    take this same plant and keep it with you,

      Herb. 111, 3; Lchdm. i. 224, 22.

  • Gif hé næbbe ǽhta ðonne healde hine man tó dóme

    if he have no property, then let him be held to judgment,

      L. Ed. 6; Th. i. 162, 21: L. C. S. 43; Th. i. 402, 1.

  • Se ðe ofer ðæne dæg hit healde ágyfe ðam bisceope ðæne penig and ðǽrtó xxx penega

    he that keeps it [Peter's pence] beyond that day, let him pay the penny to the bishop and thirty pence besides,

      L. C. E. 9; Th. i. 366, 16.

  • Healde ðonne on his múþe of ðam ecede lange hwíle

    let him hold some of the vinegar in his mouth a long while,

      Herb. 181, 4; Lchdm. i. 318, 2.

  • Hú nytt rehton wé nú and rímdon ða cǽga búton wé eác feáwum wordum ætiéwen hwæt hie healden

    of what use were it to describe and enumerate the keys, unless in a few words we shew what they lock up,

      Past. 23; Swt. 178, 12.

  • Wæterfatu healdende ǽnlípige twýfealde gemetu oððe þrýfealde. Nis gecweden ðæt ða wæterfatu sume heóldon twýfealde gemetu, sume þrýfealde

    waterpots holding singly two or three measures. It is not said that some of the waterpots held two, some three measures,

      Homl. Th. ii 56, 21-5.
to hold, have, possess, occupy, inhabit
Show examples

  • Hie leng ne mágon healdan heofonríce

    they may not longer occupy the heavenly kingdom,

      Cd. 35; Th. 45, 25; Gen. 732: 26; Th. 33, 34; Gen. 530.

  • Fundon on sande hlínbed healdan ðone ðe him hringas geaf

    they found him who had given them rings occupying a couch on the sand,

      Beo. Th. 6060; B. 3034.

  • Ðú ðe heofonhámas healdest and wealdest

    qui habitas in cælo,

      Ps. Th. 122, 1.

  • Hér Cynegils féng tó ríce and heóld xxxi wintra

    in this year Cynegils came to the throne and held it thirty-one years,

      Chr. 611; Erl. 20, 34.

  • Ðǽr heó ǽr mǽste heóld worolde wynne

    in whom before she had had her chief joy in this life,

      Beo. Th. 2163; B. 1078: 6079 ; B. 3043.

  • Úre ieldran ða ðe ðás stówa ǽr hióldon

    our forefathers who occupied these places before,

      Past. pref; Swt. 5, 14: Beo. Th. 2432; B. 1214.
to rule, govern
Show examples

  • Hie sealdon ánum unwísum cyninges þegne Miercna ríce tó haldanne

    they gave Mercia to a foolish king's thane to rule,

      Chr. 874; Erl. 76, 28: Beo. Th. 3709; B. 1852.

  • Gif hé hí rihtlícor healdan wolde ðonne hé ǽr dyde

    if he [Ethelred] would rule them more righteously than he had done before,

      Chr. 1014; Erl. 150, 7: 1083; Erl. 217, 5.

  • Ðúeorþbúende ealle healdest

    gentes in terra dirigis,

      Ps. Th. 66, 4.

  • Heóld ðæt folc teala

    he ruled that people well,

      Cd. 62, Th. 74, 34; Gen. 1232: Beo. Th. 114; B. 57.

  • Eác áh hláforda gehwylc ðæs for mycle þearfe ðæt hé his men rihtlíce healde

    also every lord has very great need to rule his men with justice,

      L. C. E. 20; Th. i. 372, 13.
to behave, conduct [one's self]
Show examples

  • Hú se sacerd hine healdan sceal and se diácon

    quomodo sacerdos et diaconus se gerere debeant,

      L. Ecg. P. iii. pref. v; Th. ii. 194, 29.

  • Nolde ða béc ágifan ǽr heó wyste hú getríwlíce hé hi [hine?] æt landum healdan wolde

    she would not give up the charters before she knew with what faith he would conduct himself [or treat her?] as regarded the lands,

      Chart. Th. 202, 27.

  • Wé sceolan eall úre líf on eáðmódnesse healdan

    we should lead all our life in humility,

      Blickl. Homl. 13, 1.

  • Heó hit heóld ǽr tó fæste wið hine

    she had before dealt too hardly with him,

      Chr. 1043; Erl. 168, 10.

  • Gif hé hine heólde swá swá hé sceolde

    if he conducted himself as he ought,

      L. R. 7; Th. i. 192, 15.

  • Ic lǽrde weras ðæt hie be him ánum getreówlíce hie heóldan

    I taught husbands to act faithfully, having to do with their wives only,

      Blickl. Homl. 185, 24.
to guard, defend, keep, preserve, protect, maintain, sustain, regard, observe, take heed
Show examples

  • Him behéton ðet hí woldon ðisne eard healdan

    they promised him that they would defend this land,

      Chr. 1012; Erl. 147, 10.

  • Se ðe sceal healdan Israéla folc wið feóndum

    qui custodit Israel,

      Ps. Th. 120, 4.

  • Ðá héht Neron healdan Simones líc þrý dagas

    Nero ordered Simon's body to be kept three days,

      Blickl. Homl. 189, 20.

  • Hí ǽfre woldon fryþ and freóndscype in tó ðisan lande haldan

    they would ever maintain peace and friendship towards this land,

      Chr. 1066; Erl. 201, 37.

  • Uton healdan unc ðæt wit ne wénan swá swá ðis folc wénþ

    let us guard ourselves from thinking as this people thinks,

      Bt. 40, 2; Fox 236, 28.

  • Healdan ðone hálgan sunnan dæg

    to keep the holy Sunday,

      Lchdm. iii. 226, 2.

  • Ðæt hé hý healdan wille swá wær his wíf sceal

    that he will keep her as a man shall his wife,

    L
      Edm. B. 1; Th. i. 254, 6.

  • Utan ǽnne cynehláford holdlíce healdan

    let us loyally support one royal lord,

      L. Eth. v. 35; Th. i. 312, 21: vi. 1; Th. i. 314, 11.

  • His múþ hé sceal symble from yfelum wordum healdan he shall ever keep his mouth from evil words, L. E. I. 21; Th. ii. 416, 33, Clǽnnysse healdan

    castitatem servare,

      L. Ecg. P. iii. 5; Th. ii. 198, 2.

  • Wé sceolan ða tén bebodu healdan

    we ought to keep the ten commandments,

      Blickl. Homl. 35, 11.

  • Sceolde ic mínne bróðor healdon

    am I my brother's keeper?

      Gen. 4, 9.

  • Ðære heorde ðe hí healdan sceoldan

    to the flock that they should have kept,

      Blickl. Homl. 45, 15.

  • Hí ne dorstan nán gefeoht healdan wið Willelm cynge

    they dared not have any battle with king William,

      Chr. 1075; Erl. 214, 8.

  • Oðer æt hám beón heora land tó healdanne oðer út faran tó winnanne

    vicissim curam belli et domus custodiam sortiebantur,

      Ors. 1, 10; Swt. 46, 17.

  • Tó healdenne,

      Blickl. Homl. 11, 25.

  • Se ðe hylt Israhél

    qui custodit Israel,

      Homl. Th. ii. 230, 7.

  • Swá swá sealt hylt ǽlcne mete wið forrotodnysse

    as salt preserves every meat from corruption,

      536, 19.

  • Healdeþ meotudes ǽ

    keeps the law of the Lord,

      Exon. 62 b; Th. 229, 19; Ph. 457.

  • Wið óðrum unþeáwum hí sylfe healdaþ

    they keep themselves from other vices,

      Homl. Th. ii. 550, 25.

  • Ne ða Eástron swá healdaþ swá wé healdaþ

    nec Pascha ita observant uti nos observamus,

      L. Ecg. P. add. 5; Th. ii. 232, 18.

  • Ðíne gebróðru healdaþ scép on Sichima

    thy brethren are keeping sheep in Shechem,

      Gen. 37, 13, 2.

  • Ebréi healdaþ heora geáres annginn on lenctenlícre emnihte

    the Hebrews keep the beginning of their year at the spring equinox,

      Lchdm. iii. 246, 17.

  • Ða gelǽredan hine healdaþ bé ðisum foresǽdan gesceáde the learned consider it in accordance with the aforesaid distinction, 266, 11, Ðú heólde míne líchaman wið ǽlce besmittennysse

    thou hast kept my body from every defilement,

      Homl. Th. i. 74, 30.

  • Hine swá lange heóld óð ðæt man hire gryþ salde

    she held the castle until they made terms with her,

      Chr. 1076; Erl. 214, 18.

  • Se cyng heóld his híréd on Winceastre

    the king held his court at Winchester,

      1085; Erl. 218, 39.

  • Ðonne hí wǽron be eáston ðonne heóld man fyrde be westan

    when the Danes were to the east then the 'fyrd' was assembled to the west,

    1009:
      Erl. 144, 5.

  • Heó hyt swýðe deórwyrþlíce heóld

    she held it very dearly,

      St. And. 38, 3.

  • Ða weardas heóldon ðæs cwearternes duru

    the keepers kept the door of the prison,

      Homl. Th. ii. 382, 4.

  • Wé náðor ne heóldon ne láre ne lage Godes ne manna swá swá wé scoldon

    we have not kept as we should the doctrine or law of God or men,

      Swt. A. S. Rdr. 107, 80.

  • Ðá heóldon ða Judéi on heálícum gewunan

    the Jews then held it as a solemn custom,

      Homl. Th. ii. 252, 8.

  • Heald ðonne georne ðæt se mete sí gemylt

    observe then carefully that the meat be digested,

      L. M. 2, 69; Lchdm. ii. 284, 2.

  • Heald ðæt hie ne hrínan eorþan ne wætre

    take care that they do not touch earth or water,

      L. M. 3, 1; Lchdm. ii. 306, 7.

  • Ásette gé ðone líchoman tó ðære byrgenne and hine ðǽr healdaþ swá ic eów bebeóde

    put down the body in the tomb and keep it there as I shall bid you,

      Blickl. Homl. 147, 32.

  • Healden hie hie ðæt hie ne weorðen ealdormenn tó forlore hira hiéramonnum

    caveat ne fiat subditis auctor ruinæ,

      Past. 10, 2; Swt. 63, 16.

  • Hit betere wǽre ðæt heora seht tógædere wurde ðonne hý ǽnige sace hym betweónan heóldan

    it would be better for them to come to an agreement than to maintain a suit between them,

      Chart. Th. 377, 4: Blickl. Homl. 109, 16.
to hold out, last, hold on, continue, hold with
Show examples

  • Hé hét ðæt werod healdan feste wið feóndum

    he bade that band stand fast against the foes,

      Byrht. Th. 134, 51; By. 102.

  • Hé wel healdeþ stondeþ stíðlíce

    it holds well, stoutly it stands,

      Exon. 93 b; Th. 351, 27; Sch. 86.

  • Feáwa óðre ðe mid ðam eorle gyt heóldan

    a few others that still continued with the earl,

      Chr. 1106; Erl. 241, 7.

  • Ðá nolde seó burhwaru ábúgan ac heóldan mid fullan wíge ongeán

    the citizens would not submit but held their ground against him by all warlike means,

      Chr. 1013; Erl. 148, 12.

  • Hig heóldon þurh ða brycge

    they held on their way through the bridge,

      1052; Erl. 184, 23.

  • Hí heóldon ofer sǽ tó Flandran they took their way across the sea to Flanders, 1075; Erl. 214, 9. [Cf.

    halda

    as a nautical term in
      Icelandic, Cl. & Vig. p. 233, col. 1.
    ]
Etymology
[Goth. haldan to hold, keep, keep sheep: O. Sax. haldan: O. Frs. halda: Icel. halda: O. H. Ger. haltan servare, custodire: Ger. halten.]
Derived forms
DER. an-, be-, for-, ge-, ofer-, tó-, ymb-healdan.
Linked entries
v.  a-hyltan healdend healding heald-ness -hilde.
Entry information
Citation

Bosworth, Joseph. “healdan.” In An Anglo-Saxon Dictionary Online, edited by Thomas Northcote Toller, Christ Sean, and Ondřej Tichy. Prague: Faculty of Arts, Charles University, 2014. https://bosworthtoller.com/18398.

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  • healdan, v.

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